This application is a continuation of International application No. PCT/FR99/03108, filed Dec. 13, 1999; which claims the benefit of priority of French Patent Application No. 98/15,834, filed Dec. 15, 1998.
The present invention relates to the use of riluzole or one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts in the prevention and/or treatment of acoustic traumas and, in particular, of deafness and of tinnitus.
Riluzole (2-amino-6-trifluoromethoxy-benzothiazole) is marketed for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This compound is also useful as an anticonvulsant, an anxiolytic and a hypnotic (EP 50551), in the treatment of schizophrenia (EP 305276), in the treatment of sleep disorders and of depression (EP 305277), in the treatment of cerebrovascular disorders and as an anesthetic (EP 282971), in the treatment of spinal, cranial and craniospinal traumas (WO 94/13288), as a radio restorative (WO 94/15600), in the treatment of Parkinson""s disease (WO 94/15601), in the treatment of neuro-AIDS (WO 94/20103), in the treatment of mitochondrial diseases (WO 95/19170). All of these references are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
It has now been found that riluzole or one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts can also be used in the prevention and/or treatment of acoustic traumas and, especially, of tinnitus and of deafness and, in particular, of deafness caused by sound traumas and age-related deafness.